


Number the Days

by fromneptune



Category: No. 6 (Anime & Manga), No. 6 - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arguing, Attempt at Humor, Blackouts, Dancing, Drinking, Established Relationship, First Kiss, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Living Together, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Nightmares, Stars, i am trash for them, these two make me cry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-05-19 03:42:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 5,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5952403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fromneptune/pseuds/fromneptune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of shorts in which Nezumi and Shion are living together. They don't seem to agree all the time, but in the end, they always find ways to surprise each other.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> You will learn that I am utterly in love with these two. Enjoy!

They had about an hour until the comet was supposed to arrive. Despite Nezumi’s complaints about going outside in the cold to wait for something that might not even arrive, he went along with it because he couldn’t leave Shion alone. His white-haired boyfriend had moved in with him pretty recently, and this person was clumsy enough to get hurt or lost. His worry proved itself when they heard the door on the rooftop close and Shion screamed. It wasn’t supposed to close, but it did, because there was nothing to stop it from closing. They were locked outside.

“How are we going to get out now?” Nezumi asked.

Shion whined, “How come you don’t have your keys?”

“This comet-watching was _your_ idea. You should have brought them.”

Having accepted the blame, he sat down and looked up at the sky. There were more stars than usual. The sky was darker, and a lot of the townspeople were shutting down for the night. It felt like they were the only ones at the top of the world. The rooftop breeze gave them chills. “You should have brought your blanket,” Nezumi told Shion, who grumbled.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s all my fault,” he said as he suddenly felt warmer. Nezumi had covered him with his own black sweater.

“Here. Your nose and ears are cold.”

“Oh. Thanks.” As they watched the sky, Shion smiled. “You’re always so serious,” he said.

Nezumi raised his eyebrows. “Am I?”

“I guess not _always_ . . . but you should laugh more.”

He chuckled. “I laugh when you do stupid things.”

“That doesn’t count!” he exclaimed. “It doesn’t count.”

Sighing heavily, Nezumi replied, “Look, Shion. I’ve known you for a long time, so I know what you’re thinking. Why would I ask you to move in with me if I weren’t happy about us?”

“But still—”

“If you’re that worried, then go ahead and do something to make me laugh. This comet isn’t flying over here anytime soon.” He watched Shion make some silly faces, but he was unmoved. Now determined, Shion continued with making creepy, demonic faces. Still, nothing. He stood up and ripped open the buttons of his shirt, revealing his bare chest. Instead of being amused, Nezumi was probably aroused. “Just what are you trying to do?” he said. Shion did not answer, and instead continued. He put one hand on his hip and the other he ran through his pearl white hair. He furrowed his eyebrows, his face having a tame kind of anger.

“How’s this?” he said in a low tone.

Surprised at his attempt to seem sexy, Nezumi was speechless. He clenched his teeth, trying to hold in his laughter. But he cackled, “Seriously! You should act like this all the time. It’s hilarious.”

Shion brightened. “So it worked?”

Nezumi motioned him over. “Yeah. Come over here.” As soon as he got down close enough to him, he pulled him in and kissed him. “I get that you thought it would be funny because you think you have no sex appeal, but believe me, you do.”

“W-what? I do? Nezu—” He kissed him again, and this time Shion kissed him back. “Nezumi, you keep doing that sort of thing out of the blue . . .”

“Ha. I know you like my kisses, Shion.” His lips traced Shion’s neck, and he kissed the snake mark. When he made it to his chest, he stopped because Shion pinched him hard. “Ouch! What was that for?”

“We’re not doing this outside,” he stated firmly. “Understood?”

Nezumi muttered, “Understood. But, you see, this is another reason why you should have brought your keys.”

“When we find a way back, we can do whatever you want.”

He grinned. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Shion sighed and continued to watch the sky. After about ten minutes, he heard snoring from his right. He looked over and saw that Nezumi had fallen asleep. He decided not to wake him up until he saw the comet. And twenty minutes later, far up in the sky, he noticed a gleam of a bright light. He shook him awake, and shouted, “Look! Look! The comet!” He took his telescope and saw a better view of the ball of light rushing down. He showed it to Nezumi, who also marveled at the sight.

“Wow,” he said. “It’s beautiful.”

After the light show ended, they came up with ways to get back home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A wet summer story.

"Tell me you're joking. Where's our food?" Shion interrogated. In the morning, he was hardly ever so agitated, but he was hungry, and there was no food that could be cooked.

Nezumi, who was lying idly on the couch, said, "No. There's nothing."

"How did this happen? Just yesterday . . ."

"Yesterday when Inukashi came over?"

"Oh." The matter was suddenly solved. Inukashi was somewhat of a big eater. Shion continued, "So which one of us is going to buy food?"

"Not me." Nezumi rolled over and yawned. "I'm tired."

"But I'm sick," Shion argued, and this was mostly true. For the past few days, he had the symptoms of a cold. Even so, he didn't want to debate with Nezumi over this, so he sighed and said he would go. And he went. But he didn't come back for a while, and Nezumi grew worried. He hopped off the couch and looked outside. Shion was nowhere in sight.

"Damn," he said, "I should have went." He waited impatiently for him to return. After an hour, he called his phone. Nothing. He then called Inukashi, in which he heard the ringtone outside the front door. He opened it frantically. Inukashi stood carrying Shion in their arms.

"I ran into him at the market," they said, "and he just fainted."

Sullenly, he replied, "I get it. Thanks, Inukashi."

"No problem. I ate all your food, so..."

After he left, Nezumi carried Shion to the couch. He caressed his hair and touched the snake mark on his neck. "I'm sorry," he whispered. He looked into the grocery bags and thought about what to make.

When Shion awoke, he smelled the making of good food. "Oh? Are you cooking?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I like when you cook."

It grew silent, and Nezumi said, "I'm sorry, Shion. For not considering you."

Shion frowned. "You should be." He sulked for a minute, then quickly followed up with a smile, "But it's okay."

"It's not! I was worried."

"Well, I'm here, aren't I?" Nezumi stayed quiet, so Shion got up and walked to their backyard. “Come on, Nezumi!” he shouted into the house. Curious and confused, he followed him. He picked up the water hose and sprayed it in Nezumi’s face. “Stop looking so gloomy! I forgive you.”

“Shion!!” he yelled, and ran to steal the water hose from Shion’s hands. However he only got wetter. Shion sprayed his entire body, laughing. “If I didn’t love you, I would kill you!” he angrily shouted. Still, he wasn’t as angry as he sounded. Shion actually did lighten his mood. How could he be the one to make him upset and cheer him up in a matter of minutes? How come he was so easily pulled into his pace?

Determined, Nezumi took the hose and sprayed Shion’s entire body. He turned it off, and they looked at each other’s drenched bodies. One side effect of doing something like this in the middle of summer was that the water could make already thin clothes semitransparent. For Nezumi, this was the sole reason Shion could not bat an eye away from his abdomen. Everything stopped, and although Nezumi realized Shion was staring, he didn’t turn away. Instead he came closer and closer until their wet selves came into contact. Without any words, they kissed, and Shion ran his fingers through Nezumi’s wet hair.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A blackout.

When the lights shut off, Shion’s heart skipped a beat. He saw nothing, felt nothing. He looked around frantically for Nezumi, but there was nothing. He called out his name. Once. Twice. A third time. When he came inside holding an oil lantern, asking what was wrong, Shion ran to him. From the light, he was able to see the figure of his body and the worried look on his face.

“Why did the lights go off?” he asked Nezumi, his voice trembling.

“I don’t know. The power is out, too.” Nezumi felt Shion’s cold body. “Hey. It’s alright. I’m right here,” he reassured.

“I thought you were kidnapped or something." 

“Kidnapped? Me? I wouldn’t get kidnapped without a fight. Besides, we literally just finished having sex—I wouldn’t leave so suddenly,” Nezumi explained, as if nothing was wrong with what he just said.

Shion pinched his face. “Don’t say something so embarrassing!” He jumped as he heard a boom from outside. It sounded like the sky broke into a trillion pieces.

“It must be an electrical storm,” Nezumi concluded. He motioned Shion towards the bed. “We should go under the blankets. I know you’re scared.” So they went under the sheets, with the warmth of the oil lantern encompassing their bodies. “Feel better?” he asked.

Shion nodded. “How did you know I wanted to go under the sheets?”

“Remember that time with the centipede? You didn’t come out until I took it outside onto the sidewalk.”

He covered his ears with his hands and shook his head. “I don’t want to remember.”

“And that time for Halloween when Safu dressed up as a ghost? You were scared shitless.”

“That! That was because her costume was super detailed! Ghost costumes don’t have blood and half of a limb!”

Nezumi snickered. “It was really good. And didn’t you dress up as a pink bunny?”

“Nezumi, you’re really being annoying now. What about your stupid Dracula costume? That wasn’t scary at all.”

“Ha?!” he snapped. “How dare you insult—” He stopped himself and sighed. “Forget it. This is stupid.”

Shion agreed, “Then change the subject.”

“Okay. So I ran into Inukashi the other day and he told me a scary legend about this town. He told me that whenever someone got struck by lightning here, they would actually get captured and end up in a castle in the sky. There, they would eat and sleep as much as they wanted. But at one point, they would become obessesed with staying, and never want to leave. They would be trapped in there with the old guy until they died. He ate their dead bodies.” Nezumi finished and looked over at Shion’s pale face. He may have went too far. “Shion—”

“Don’t. Don’t talk to me for a while.” He wasn’t angry or scared, he was concentrating. He was trying to come up with a good counter to make Nezumi feel what he was feeling. He was determined. Eventually, he came up with a story. “Listen to this. A group of school children are lost in a forest. Their chaperones were nowhere to be found. They put a girl in charge, but she went missing that night. The same thing happened the next day to the second person they put in charge. And then the third, and the fourth”—he came closer with a sinister smile—“and the fifth. At the sixth person, they put someone on watch to see what would happen. The boy on watch definitely saw. He saw that the teachers were killing everyone. And, before he could tell everyone else, he died as well.”

Nezumi said, his voice shaking, “Okay, Shion. You win. I’ll stop scaring you. I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” Shion smiled as if nothing scary had happened that night. He leaned over and cuddled into Nezumi’s arm. “Mm. This is nice.”

That day, Nezumi learned something frightening about Shion—he might have been scared easily, but he had the ability to be scary, in a really sexy way.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dance.

Nezumi has been taking dancing classes recently. For no particular reason, he’d decided to learn the basics of formal dance. If he had to give a reason, it would be that he wanted to do something with his life, instead of just eating, sleeping, working, and lazing around with Shion. He wanted to try dancing with him. So he started taking lessons from, surprisingly enough, Safu. Her mother was a dancer, so she had a lot of knowledge and practice. At first, all Nezumi did was step on her toes.

"Ouch! Nezumi, I swear, if you step on me one more time, I'm going to kiss Shion," she threatened.

However, this wasn't much of a threat. "I don't really care. You  _do_ love him, don't you? It would only make sense."

Safu sighed in frustration. "This is why I don't like you sometimes. You're so passive about everything when it doesn't have to do with Shion's safety."

"Come on, Safu! Let's do it again. I promise I won't step on you, okay?"

She eyed Nezumi in suspicion. "Why are you so eager to learn, anyway?"

"Why? I want to dance with Shion."

"I should have known. He's your motivation for a lot of things, isn't he?" Safu continued to teach him the steps. This went on for a month or so. Finally, on the last day, she graduated him from her teaching. "You're really good now, my pupil. Maybe even better than me," she cried jokingly.

Nezumi did not buy her act. "Safu, come on. I know you're happy to get rid of me."

"Ahaha. I guess," she said, and held his hands. "Just promise me one thing."

She continued her act, so he went along with it. "Yes, Sensei."

"Whatever you do, do not step on Shion’s toes. If you do, I will find you and make you do this all over again. Okay?" She smiled, but it was a smile that frightened even him. He recalled all that he'd learned, and realized that it felt more like Spartan training than dance lessons.

"Yes, Sensei."

***

The day he decided to show Shion his moves did not start the best way. They’d had a fight in the morning about switching up their positions during sex. Nezumi argued that they shouldn't, and Shion being Shion, argued that they should. Really, it was just to fill up his curiosity about being "on top" rather than on "the bottom." After a while, he realized how ridiculous the argument was, but he couldn't find the words to apologize.

They didn't talk for the rest of the day, so Nezumi was reluctant to ask him for a dance. But he pulled himself together and went for it. He walked over to Shion, who was reading a book at the dining table. Nezumi was reminded of how much he liked his flowy, tousled white hair and his small but strong hands. He was reminded of how much he felt for Shion; even just looking at him read was something he could do forever. Except, he knew that nothing lasted forever, and that forever was such a poor measurement of time.

As a matter of fact, it wasn't a measurement of time. It was a hope, a wish, that you'd be able to do something for as long as you live.

The days have numbers. Time passes. But that's why he wanted to live every day as if time stopped. That way, he would have no regrets. That's why he took this chance. Who knew when he'd have another one?

"Shion, would you dance with me?"

Shion looked up at him in question. "What's this all of a sudden?"

"Over the past month, I've learned how to waltz. From Safu."

". . . Why?" he asked.

Nezumi answered, "I don't . . . really know. I just wanted to try it with you, I guess. But if you're still mad at me—"

Shion shook his head vigorously. "I'm not mad." He stood up and faced Nezumi. "Do you have music?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, Safu gave me a disc." He went over to his CD player and pressed play. Out came a slow, yet vibrant and strong tune. He held out his hand, Shion took it, and he showed him where to place his hands. "I won't step on you, I promise. Just follow my lead."

"Okay . . . but I think _I'm_  going to be the one to step on  _you._ "

Nezumi snickered. "That's fine." They were silent as they began. "About this morning," he continued, "I'm sorry."

"Me, too. It was such a stupid fight."

"No, well, after this, if you want . . ." He gave him a suggestive glance.

"Are you serious?!" Shion exclaimed, and at the same time, they were settling into their dance. They spun together with ease and security, as if they'd practiced together a million times. Their hearts beat along with the music. Their legs moved along with each other.

"I'm serious, but only this time." As soon as he spoke, he let Shion go on one arm, he spun back in, and Nezumi dipped him, not too low to the floor. "How was that?" he said.

Shion's smile reached his ears. "That was great."

_[Afterwards . . .]_

Shion lay face-down on the bed and groaned. "So much for that idea. Never again."

Nezumi sat up beside him and laughed. "Ah, who cares? Halfway through, I took over, anyway."

He pinched his face angrily. "That's the point!" And thus, Shion learned he was not so great at "attacking."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first kiss.

Since it was their anniversary, they reminisced about the past. They'd been together for three years so far, but they knew each other long before their relationship became romantic. "That reminds me, it was in middle school when we first met, right?" Shion asked Nezumi. The night before, they went out drinking and partying with Inukashi and Safu, and were now on the train back home. It was early in the morning, because they'd hung out even after midnight, so the train cars were pretty much empty. Most of all, Nezumi was not in the mood to have a discussion about the past. He was too hungover, and he hasn't had a wink of sleep yet.

"Yeah, yeah," he said.

"What do you mean, 'yeah, yeah'? Isn't today our anniversary?" Shion pouted.

Nezumi groaned, "That doesn't mean we have to talk about how we met."

"Every year, you're like this," Shion sighed and playfully swung around the train poles. "I remember it. In school, no one really liked you because you were arrogant and couldn't smile. And for me, the boys thought I was too girly."

"Yeah, I remember all of this. Can we not talk about it?"

"Wait! I'm getting to the best part! You were getting all beaten up one day after school, and then I came and saved you! I beat those guys to a pulp."

Now, Nezumi was getting into the story. "Listen, you didn't even have to interfere. I had it under control."

"Under control? You were crying."

He cackled, "No I wasn't! Me? Cry?"

"Whatever. You'll never admit it. After I saved you, you asked me why I did. And what did I say, Nezumi?"

"You said, 'Because I wanted to let off some steam.' Was it because you got mistaken for a girl again?"

"Yeah. I just don't get it. You're prettier than me."

Not knowing how else to reply, Nezumi said, "Um, thanks?"

Shion smiled and sat across from him. "And then we became fast friends."

"Not true. You followed me around everywhere until I gave in, like an annoying disciple."

"Well, I  _did_ admire you. But what frustrated me about you was that you acted like you were better off alone. Like that time we were skipping, and you left me out to dry! I got in so much trouble."

"Again, not true.  _I_ was the only one skipping. You just followed me. But you can't jump over walls very well."

Shion hung his head. "Now I'm just getting upset."

"See? I don't know why you wanted to talk about the past so much."

"Wait, then, how did we even get together? It seems like it would have been impossible."

Nezumi couldn't believe his ears. He doubted Shion actually  _forgot_ how they became an item. It was only three years ago. Then again, he himself couldn't remember their address sometimes. Sure, back then it seemed impossible, because they were hardly even friends. But it still happened, and they still ended up moving in together. Nezumi prepared himself because he was about to say some embarrassing things. "It was the kiss at the end of high school. Well, first I told you I liked you."

"Kiss?" Shion processed the information, but he didn't understand right away. It suddenly came to him like a flash of lightning. "Oh! That . . ." His face flushed. "I think I tried to forget it because it was so embarrassing."

"So you remember what happened?"

"Yeah . . ."

It was in high school, when they were both assigned to clean up duty, and things were painfully silent. It wasn't because they were mad at each other, but because all they would do was steal secret glances at the other. It didn't take long for Shion to realize that his admiration for Nezumi lied in the fact that he liked everything about him, and that he wanted to be by his side. As for Nezumi, he started feeling like Shion's company made him a lot happier than he liked to admit. He wasn't sure about love or anything, but he did not want anything to separate them.

He said the words in a heartbeat: _"Shion, I like you."_

Everything was so unexpected that Shion laughed.  _"What did you just say?"_

 _"I think I just said I have feelings for you."_  His words sounded gentle, but at the time Nezumi was angry. He was angry that Shion laughed.  _"But whatever."_ He dropped what he was cleaning and left the room.

Minutes passed, and as he wasn't returning, Shion understood it for real. He understood that Nezumi was saying that he wanted to be with him, and he was being completely serious. He ran out to look for him. He found him out back, in the middle of another fight (beat down). And, just like the first time, he saved him. He drove the guys away, and he looked down at Nezumi's botched and bruised face. _"Your lips are so bloody . . . why do you get into these fights? You hardly try to fight back,"_ he said.

_"They come on to me. I just give them what they want. It's too much work to fight."_

_"Don't be an idiot. Please, fight."_ Shion leaned over and kissed him. The blood on his lips was gone. _"I'll go out with you."_

_"A-are you sure?"_

Nezumi smiled. "After I said that, you said . . ."

"Right. I said, 'Why wouldn't I be?' And then I realized how sure I was when I saw you smile, even with that horrible-looking face." Shion turned to Nezumi. "See, that wasn't so bad. That was fun."

"I guess. Shion, come over here." Nezumi waved him over with his hands. Shion got up and walked to him, and Nezumi wrapped his arms around his waist. He pulled him in close. "I'm glad you looked for me that day."

"You are?" Shion played around with Nezumi's hair.

"I am. So much that it hurts."

"Nezumi . . ."

"I love you, Shion. Even with this hangover."

"I know. I love you, too."

They both knew that the silence and serenity of the train was making them sleepy. As soon as they returned home, they would go to sleep. They'd already had plenty of an anniversary.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waiting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while... (also sorry, this is pretty short)

The wait was frustrating. Just sitting down, trying to read a book was not an easy task for Shion that day. It took everything within him to not fly to Tokyo himself and drag Nezumi back home. He'd been sitting at the airport for the past hour (he wouldn't admit that he arrived early), trying to read a book and wait for his arrival quietly. Soon enough, he grew agitated, and subconsciously gave people malicious glares when they would glance at him or ask him for the time or something. This, he would say, was all Nezumi's fault. If he hadn't left for half a year because of his job, if they hadn't had that argument before he left . . . if they'd talked more often while they were apart; all these things could not help but weigh on his mind. They suffocated him, but the prospect of seeing Nezumi again blew everything else away.

That was why, when he noticed him at the top of the escalator coming down, he jumped up and held up the sign he'd created. He didn't really need one, because the two could tell the other apart from afar. The sign read:

_THAT NO-GOOD NEZUMI_

When Nezumi saw it, he had an air of irritation, but it quickly dissipated into solace. He slowly walked up to Shion, as if he would miss truly looking at him if he'd walked any faster. As if he would slip right out of his reach. "You never fail to amaze me," he said. "But I don't know if that's good or bad."

Shion frowned. "Of course it's good. Are . . . are you still mad at me?"

Nezumi took time in his response. "Hmm. Maybe . . ." (Though he really wasn't.)

"Really?" Shion's expression was so genuinely tender and disheartened that Nezumi couldn't hold it in and embraced him tightly right then and there. "Nezumi, it's tight . . ."

"Oh, sorry. I was just recharging myself. I missed you, you know."

"I know."

"I'm not me without you."

"I know that, too."

"No, I'm not saying what I really want to say. I can't say it properly . . ."

"Listen, Nezumi." Shion looked at him with fervent adoration. "I know. You don't have to say it. Welcome back."

Nezumi nodded. "I'm home."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The color blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back from the dead....

We know there weren't many things Nezumi actually liked. There was, for sure, enough that he didn't like. Among these things, the one currently on his mind was the color blue. He didn't like the color of the bright sky that pierced his eyes every morning. The kanji bothered him, too. "Ao."

That's why, when Shion told him that he wanted to go to the beach, he expected the worst (because he didn't like the beach either). "Are you sure?"

"Why not? I know you don't like the beach, but . . ."

Nezumi knew he couldn't hurt Shion's feelings just because of some weird quirk of his. "No, let's go."

Shion's face lit up like a just decorated Christmas tree. "Really?!"

"Yeah." At that time, Nezumi could not forsee that because of this trip, he would grow to love the beach, and the color blue.

When they arrived, they saw only some people near the shore. It was a hot day even though it was the end of summer. The sun was certainly out, with its garish rays making Nezumi feel like they were eating him alive.

They were building a sandcastle (or what was supposed to be one) when he had nearly given up. Shion got up and stood by the shore. "Nezumi, come! The water is super cold!"

He started to walk over, albeit reluctant. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the sight in front of him. He saw Shion, standing on wet sand, his bare feet glistening from the water. He saw the blue sky behind him, and suddenly it wasn’t so irritating any more.

Suddenly everything was beautiful. The color blue was beautiful. Shion was beautiful (which he already knew, but still).

He realized, yet again, that he was so very lucky.

"Hold on," he said, "I'm coming."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A drinking contest.

"They invited me to their wedding."

Shion was surprised Nezumi was close enough to someone else to be invited to their wedding. "A wedding? Do you _really_ want to go?"

Nezumi already knew his answer. Of course he _didn't_ want to go, but he felt that, as unsociable as he was, he needed to go out there and show others he's willing to change. "No," he said, "but it might be fun."

Usually, when it came to things for them to do, Shion would suggest something outrageous and Nezumi would reject it. Now, oddly enough, things were the opposite. "Listen, the only fun thing about weddings is the party afterwards. Don't you remember Rikiga-san's wedding? I think Inukashi and I ate all there was to eat."

Nezumi shuddered, remembering something that had been locked away in the depths of his mind. "That's not all that happened. Remember the contest?"

The word "contest" brought it back to Shion's memory. He remembered they were so bored that they decided to have a drinking contest (he didn't remember that what really instigated it was that Nezumi had told him he couldn't hold his alcohol, and he got upset). They started chugging down glasses and glasses of wine. They hadn't kept count, either. Whoever gave up first was the loser. Shion remembered everything he felt at that time. The nausea, the feeling of almost throwing up, then actually throwing up.

 _"Are you happy you won? Dammit, Shion. I didn't think you were this determined to win. . . it's okay."_ Nezumi had rubbed his back as he keeled over.  _"It's okay. You'll feel better soon."_ A few seconds after that, Nezumi himself started throwing up. Rikiga told them to go home, so they went. After that, neither of them drank alcohol in any form for a long time.

Remembering the event, Nezumi and Shion came to an agreement. "Let's. . . not go," Nezumi said.

"Yeah."

"Hey, if we're talking about weddings, or rather, marriage. . ."

"Yeah? What about--oh."

"You can tell what I'm thinking?"

Shion smiled. "Of course. I know you."

"So what do you say?"

". . . Someday."

"Is that near or far from now?" Nezumi said impatiently.

Shion rubbed Nezumi's hair and caressed his face. "Someday is someday."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dog from the park.

Nezumi had been pretty discontent ever since Shion had told him "someday," and not "soon." He couldn't tell if Shion realized it, because the latter was acting pretty normal. But it was weird for him to be this normal, wasn't it?

Nezumi's suspicions were only strengthened when Shion came home one day _with a dog_. He just came home, all happy (and if you looked closely enough, you could see the flowers circling around his head). He kissed Nezumi like usual, set the small, silver-haired dog down (who was barking incessantly), went to the kitchen and poured a glass of water. Only minutes later did he say, "Oh, that's right. Nezumi, I brought a dog here."

"I can see that!" Nezumi exclaimed. "Haven't you heard his barking?"

"I think he's a _she_."

"Why did you get a dog all of a sudden? We didn't even talk about it."

"No, no. I didn't  _buy_ her. I found her at the park. She seemed pretty lonely, so I brought her here."

"Well, I don't want a dog, Shion. Inukashi is enough. And besides, that dog probably _belongs_ to someone."

"Please...? Just until I find her owner. I'll do anything you want. In bed."

Shion presented Nezumi with the two things he could not say no to: the innocent pout, and the offer of "anything" in bed. Just the second one alone would have gotten him on board. "Fine," he said.

"Yay!" Shion turned to the dog, who was wagging her tail. "Isn't that great, Nezu?"

"...Shion, you didn't name her after _me_ , did you?"

"Well, yeah. Where else would 'Nezu' come from? And her eyes are blue like yours." This was most definitely not good for Nezumi's heart. Everything he was feeling about that proposal (when it was more of a hint at a proposal) vanished from his heart. He was glad with where they were now. And now they had a dog, a dog who they knew would grow on them and they wouldn't be able to let her go when the time came.

(In the end, they found the owner but he didn't want her anymore, so they kept her).


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nightmare and a proposal and a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last one, guys! (I think I gained cavities while writing this chapter...)  
> 

He'd probably faced death before, since he used to fight a fair amount, but he'd never been so frightened. All because of a simple nightmare that really wasn't so simple. He was sitting up in the bed, his mind elsewhere, his pulse skyrocketing, and his heart sinking. The nightmare was simple. He had lost Nezumi to a drunk driver. Then, in a different setting, he lost Nezumi to cancer. He didn't want them to be, but they were frighteningly real. They felt like they were happening, in that moment, and he could not do anything. he could not put the pieces back together, for they were all broken and scattered. He felt the loss, the punch in the face from reality, the grief and desperation. It was a nightmare that felt like it lasted for weeks, when it was all only a few hours.

Shion glanced over at Nezumi's sleeping self. He cried.

Apparently he was loud enough to awake Nezumi. "Shion? What's wrong?"

"...I thought I lost you," he said.

"Lost me? How? I'm right here."

"Ah, never mind. I'm going back to sleep."

Nezumi stopped him. "No, stop. Something is up with you. Something has _been_ up with you for a while now. Ever since that night we talked about marriage. Did it bother you that much?"

"No, of course not. It just...got me thinking. I wanted this to be a surprise, but...I guess I better do this now before I don't have another chance. Turn on the lights."

Shion seemed to have gotten something from the nightstand, and as soon as Nezumi turned on the lights, he frowned, and then smiled. "You...you're pretty sly, aren't you?"

Shion laughed. For some reason, he was still in tears. He held up a silver ring and said, "I only said 'someday' because I wanted this to be a surprise you wouldn't see coming. But it seems that made you worry. And then I realized that I had been taking time for granted, because I thought that I could just propose 'eventually.' But we don't have an infinite number of days together. I hate to say this, but our days are numbered. I could lose you all of a sudden, and I wouldn't be able to tell you anything I wanted to always say to you. The nightmare I had showed me reality. So, before one of us dies, I others to know that you're mine, and I'm yours. So, Nezumi, will you marry me?"

"...Why are you crying when _you're_ the one proposing?" he said, though he himself was on the verge of tears. "You really had me fooled, you know. Ah, dammit. Give me the ring. I'll wear it."

Shion smiled. He had stopped crying. "Good."

"We're not going to have a ceremony, right? I really just want to get the certificate and go."

"Yeah, you know I don't like weddings."

Nezumi turned the lights back off. "Now that that's settled..."

"Eh? Now? At two in the morning? We have work! And Nezu is outside!" Shion whispered.

"Yeah, well, she's not in _here_."

Shion looked down and pondered the idea. "I see. Whatever, then. Let's do it." In that moment, Shion thought about the three of them. About himself, Nezumi and Nezu. He thought that they were a family. He quite liked that thought.


End file.
